


How Two Become Three

by PolkaDotDragon



Series: The Elemonijah Collection [1]
Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Developing Relationship, F/M, How has no one written Elena/Damon/Elijah yet, I Will Go Down With This Ship, I also like to write stable and healthy Delena, M/M, Multi, Polyamory, Polyamory Negotiations, This ship has become my life, Threesome - F/M/M, cause that's what I wanted from the show
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-05
Updated: 2019-06-18
Packaged: 2019-08-19 03:12:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16526240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PolkaDotDragon/pseuds/PolkaDotDragon
Summary: Caroline doesn't realize what she starts when she brings up the concept of a freebie list.....and Elena admits to Damon that Elijah is on hers.





	1. How it Starts

Later Damon would gripe that is was all Caroline’s fault.

* * *

 

It was late on a Friday. The group was all relaxing at the Salvatore Boarding House enjoying the roaring fire. Elena was curled up on the couch, sipping on hot cider. Damon was sitting next to her with one arm around her shoulders and the other sitting on the arm of the couch, bourbon in hand. On the opposite couch, Bonnie was laying back, leafing through her Grams’ grimoire, and her feet in Jeremy’s lap.

As Caroline and Stefan came in the door, a tendril of cold November air blew into the room. Elena burrowed her toes deeper into the blanket she had wrapped around her legs.

“—you can’t tell me you wouldn't sleep with Leonardo DiCaprio given the chance” Caroline was saying to Stefan.

“I can’t say it’s something I’ve thought about” Stefan said wryly.

“Well if we ever meet him, he’s on my freebie list” the perky blonde replied.

“Freebie list?” Stefan questioned.

“Five celebrities you’re allowed to sleep with that don’t count as cheating,” Bonnie replied absentmindedly.

“What is this?” Jeremy asked. “Do I need to worry about this?”

“Not unless we meet Chris Hemsworth” Bonnie replied. Elena couldn't see her face behind the grimoire, but she could hear the grin in her best friend’s voice.

“Ugh, that man’s arms…” Caroline said dreamily.

“They’re not that great,” Stefan grumbled.

“Clearly you haven’t been watching the same movies I have, brother,” Damon spoke before taking a swig of bourbon.

“What’s this?” Caroline exclaimed. “Is the great ‘ladies man’ admitting to checking out a man?”

Damon’s signature smirk curled across his face as he looked over at the blonde. “I’ve dabbled a time or two. Come on Blondie, it would be a crime to withhold this—” he gestured to his body, “—from half of the population.”

“Wha—” Caroline’s gobsmacked expression mirrored the rest of the room. Bonnie even lowered the grimoire to stare, wide-eyed, at the eldest vampire. Stefan looked at his brother like he’d never seen him before. The only variety was Elena, who while equally surprised, also had a light blush across her cheeks.

* * *

 

Later that night, Elena let her head rest on Damon’s chest while she caught her breath. Damon’s hand reached up and began playing with strands of her hair.

“So…” the man started, “Do you have a freebie list?”

Elena turned so her chin rested on his pecs and grinned up at her boyfriend. “Worried about your competition?”

“Maybe.” Damon grinned impishly down at her.

“Well…” Elena started, the ‘L’ drawn out, “Chris Hemsworth for sure… Sam Heughan..”

“Who?”

“From that new British show Care has been making Bon and me watch. His accent is.. mmhmm” Elena replied before continuing with her list. “Ooh maybe Chris Pine…or Matt Damon…” She smirked up at him on the last name.

“Oh hardy har har” Damon rolled his eyes.

“And…” Elena bit her lip, a light dusting of red blooming on her cheeks.

“Hmmm?” Damon raised an eyebrow.

“Elijah” Elena spit out quickly, tucking her face down beneath her hair.

“Wood?” Damon questioned. “He’s not _that_ hot.”

“No…” Elena’s fingers curled and uncurled in the sheets. “Mikaelson” she said so quietly that Damon wouldn't have been able to hear it were he human.

“Wha— Elena!” Damon exclaimed. “This list is supposed to be _celebrities_ , not people we know!” Elena kept her face pressed into Damon’s body. “Hey…” Damon said softly, using a finger under her chin to get her to face him. “No cheating”.

Elena’s tight grip on the sheets released when she saw Damon was smiling.

“Well he _is_ kinda a celebrity among vampires” Elena teased, a small grin on her features. “An original vampire, all handsome and mysterious… full of strength and…” she paused for a second before leaning up and whispering in her lover’s ear “..stamina.”

Damon flipped them over and pressed down into her. “I’ll show you stamina”.

[](https://www.flickr.com/photos/156333014@N03/45096653755/in/dateposted-public/)

* * *

 Damon later reflected that likely nothing would have come of it, if he hadn't dreamed that night. However the next morning he woke suddenly with the images of the gentlemanly Original kissing his way down Elena’s body as she let out those little noises the elder Salvatore loved so much. Flashes of the dream were coming back to him, little glimpses of skin against skin, pink lips and fangs. If Damon had just been jealous from the dream that would have been one thing. He could have overcompensated for the next little while and brushed it off.

The problem was that the dream didn't leave him feeling jealous.

It just left him turned on.

* * *

 

Weeks later, Damon sprawled across the couch and bemoaned his life. The previous night, he had the same dream _again_ , for the 5th time since that damned conversation.

The vampire meant what he said to Caroline a month ago, about his dabbling with the male gender. Damon was over 150 years old. He had tried _everything_. And sleeping with men was one of the thing that became more than just an experiment. He was still into women more than men, but every once and awhile he saw a guy and just went with it. The first couple of times he had sex with a man it had kind of freaked him out, but after spending a month with a particularly sweet Irish immigrant in the late 1920s in New York City, Damon came to accept that part of himself. The elder Salvatore brother had never been one to deny himself something he wanted.

And now there was the small but growing part of him that wanted to see Elena flushed and panting with Elijah Mikaelson thrusting into her.

Dammit.

* * *

 

Three months, two awkward conversations with Elena about what was bothering him, one embarrassing confession, five passionate love-makings while he whispered descriptions of his dreams, and four whispered and honest conversations between the couple later, Caroline was super confused when the mention of Elijah being in town caused Elena to turn bright red and flee the room.


	2. Enter Elijah

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Elijah receives a proposition and Damon is not as suave as he thinks he is.

Elijah was not particularly happy to be back in Mystic Falls. While he respected Elena Gilbert and her friends, this town had not been kind to his family. The original found himself ruminating on the doppelgänger while he sipped on the best wine the Mystic Grill had to offer. He had come to enjoy Elena’s company over his various visits to the town. Her compassion and drive to protect her family reminded him of himself. Yet she hadn’t fallen as far as he had. Elijah tried to maintain some semblance of honor, but he was well aware that he had done many monstrous things. Sadly, as ELena was a vampire now, it was probably only a matter of time. Yet Elijah found himself oddly hoping that Elena would keep that brightness over the coming centuries. He found it surprisingly refreshing.

Speaking of Elena’s friends, Elijah saw Damon Salvatore enter the building out of the corner of his eye. The elder Salvatore brother was probably the person in town Elijah had most changed his mind about. When he had first met the younger vampire, the original thought him brutish, impulsive, and all too like Niklaus. However, as time passed Elijah began to see that Damon differed greatly from Klaus. While the younger vampire was prone to being selfish, Elijah had seen him put Elena and Stefan above himself time and time again. He had matured since he had once forced Elena to drink his blood. Elijah found it somewhat fascinating that while vampires normally took decades to change, he had seen Damon grow to be a better person over only a few years in Elena’s presence. From what Elijah had picked up, Damon was returning to more what he had been like before he was turned.

Elijah was probably one of the few that thought Damon was better suited to Elena than his brother Stefan. Though perhaps it was Elijah’s mild dislike of Stefan that colored his view. The original found the younger Salvatore brother too unbalanced for his tastes. Either overly idealistic and naïve, or depraved and barbaric when he tipped over the edge. Damon may have his ups and downs, but the were shallow compared to the sharp divide between normal Stefan and the ripper. (Elijah ignored the fact that a good deal of his dislike for Stefan was how much Niklaus liked him).

The last time Elijah had been in town, to assist in a mass werewolf attack, he had seen more of Elena and Damon’s relationship. Though the elder Salvatore brother was still fierce in protecting his girlfriend, he accepted her wishes to fight alongside him. While Damon seemed to enjoy breaking rules and stirring up trouble, it seemed Elena benefited from that attitude. The girl seemed much less burdened when Damon was talking her into sneaking into parties or other mischief. It was good to see, Elijah thought. People with strong moral codes like Elena often have trouble letting go and enjoying life. Elijah ruefully included himself in that category. After centuries of cleaning up after Niklaus and trying to fix him, it had been a long time since Elijah had really had “fun” that wasn’t the primal enjoyment of ripping apart one’s enemies.

* * *

Damon surveyed the original from his place at the other end of the bar. Elena was too embarrassed to be here for this conversation, but Damon had no shame. (He ignored the voice in his head that tried to remind him of his very real fear of rejection). It had been a couple years since the whole mess with the original family had imploded in Mystic Falls and Elijah had been back a handful of times to assist with various supernatural crises. Damon thought the elder vampire had finally warmed up to him and hoped that was true or this plan was doomed to fail.

Oh well, Damon thought to himself, no time like the present.

He sauntered up the original and tried to look casual as he sat on the bar stool next to the elder vampire. “Hello Elijah, what brings you to Mystic Falls in this lovely February weather.”

The eldest living Mikaelson brother turned to him, and Damon hoped the slight warmth in his expression wasn’t his imagination. “Hello, Damon. I ran into an old tome in South Carolina that was identified to have belonged to a Bennet witch. I dropped it off with Ms. Bonnie this morning.” 

“Well that was nice of you” Damon replied briefly, before moving onto step one of his plan, “Say, that wine you’re drinking can’t be very good. The Mystic Grill’s selection sucks. We have much better wine back at the boarding house.” Damon grinned broadly. “Care to share a drink before you head back on the road?”

* * *

Elijah noted the fast speed Damon’s right hand was tapping on the bar and the slight perspiration on his brow. He narrowed his eyes. “What are you up to Damon? You’re too nervous for inviting me over for a drink.” Were the Salvatores planning to try and kill him again? he thought sadly. He didn’t think there was any reason to and the white oak stake was in New Orleans.

“Up to something?” Damon scoffed, and smiled brightly, inadvertently making him look even more suspicious. “Just thought I’d offer some better alcohol.”

“Enough,” Elijah stated sharply, and had the front of Damon’s shirt gripped in his fist fasted than a human could see. “What do you want”. The buttons of the shirt bit into his palm.

Damon opened his mouth, but Elijah could see he wasn’t planning on being any more honest. “Tell me what you want with me or I am leaving town. Now.” The original bit out, his brow creased and his teeth clenched.

Damon moved to say something innocuous and witty, but what came out was “We want to sleep with you”. Elijah’s mouth dropped open slightly and his eyes widened as red slowly crept up the younger vampires face. “As in sex. I mean, uh, Elena and I, uh” Elijah hoped his face wasn’t getting as red as the man across from him, but that hope was likely in vain. Elijah had been propositioned many times in his thousands of years, but rarely by those few he considered friends, and never when he hadn’t been expecting it.

The original shut his mouth and took a deep breath. “That is… not what I was expecting”. He had picked up on Elena being attracted to him of course, but people were attracted to many more people than they ever typically acted on. Damon he hadn’t picked up on, but they had started their acquaintance with the younger vampire repeatedly trying to stake him.

Damon crossed him arms and glanced to the side. “Well?”

Elijah noted the way the other vampire’s shirt sleeves curled around his biceps when flexed. Damon was tapping the bar again, and a slight flush remained across his cheeks.

Elijah blinked slowly, but what he was seeing didn’t change. “You and Elena… have talked about this?” Elena and Damon’s relationship had stabilized over the years, but Elijah had never seen them as the sharing type. The newest doppelgänger had seemed to resist the very idea that she was attracted to anyone else while dating the younger Salvatore brother and Damon had always seemed very possessive.

“We’re adults!” Damon protested.

“I— how did this even come up?” Elijah was baffled. He was not a stranger to the concept of threesomes, however unlike Niklaus and Kol, he tended to avoid meaningless sex and had never participated in one himself.

“Caroline was talking about this thing call a freebie list— whatever, it’s dumb— but then Elena mentioned you…” Damon stopped, then opened his mouth, but closed it again. “Just —whatever. Don’t tell me you’re passing up on the chance to get this” He gestured down at his body. “Or are you completely straight? You always kinda struck me as a little gay with your nice hair and perfectly pressed clothes, but what do I know?” He frowned. “You don’t have to have sex me with me if you don’t want to, but I at least get to watch.”

Just then, Elijah caught the eye of the person sitting on the other side of Damon who flushed and tried to look away. Before they could, Elijah leaned forward and called upon compulsion as he spoke “You will forget anything you heard between us today. You will finish your drink and leave.” The human did as he was bid and Elijah realized that he was only a couple inches from Damon and sat back. Did he just hear the the younger vampire mutter ‘That was hot’? He readjusted his cuffs before turning back to the elder Salvatore brother. “Perhaps this conversation would best be finished elsewhere. May I take you up on that drink?” Elijah found the idea of sharing Elena and Damon’s bed more enticing than he would have thought.

A wide grin graced Damon’s face as they both stood. “By all means.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I know vampire’s probably don’t blush, but I like thinking of them blushing so I’m ignoring that... :P
> 
> This chapter has Elijah! Yay! I had fun trying to get into his head and was actually rewatching his scenes in TVD to help me get the best feel for him. 
> 
> I also started watching the Originals again. When I had initially watched the pilot I hadn’t cared for it (Mainly cause Elijah has always been my fav and he got daggered at the end of the pilot), but I’m enjoying it a lot now. Elijah is just so interesting and Klaus, Rebekah and Hayley are growing on me as well... 
> 
> No Elena in this chapter, but she’ll see her men next chapter when they get back to the boarding house. Then Elijah will get the full force of Delena seduction ;D
> 
> And I had fun writing Damon in this chapter. He likes to think of himself as really charming, but I also see him as being intimidated by Elijah, and this situation isn’t one he’s used to.
> 
> I hope no one’s bothered by Elijah’s musing on Stefan if they’re a Stefan fan. While I find his character boring, I don’t dislike him and don’t want it to come off as bashing at all. I just think that family man Elijah wouldn’t like Klaus treating Stefan as more of a brother than he did Elijah sometimes. Not to mention Ripper!Stefan would not have been helpful to Elijah in his quest to redeem Klaus. It also always irked me that every single character in the show seemed to prefer Stefan for Elena over Damon- there had to be someone who thought he was good for her. In my head canon, that’s Elijah. 
> 
> As to where in TVD timeline that I’ve diverged, well... the plot of the show annoys me a lot of the time so I’m using it loosely. Up to the end of season 3 is pretty much the same and then I’m only playing with parts of season 4 and on. I thought the whole Silas thing was pretty dumb so... and I may pull in a little from the Originals, but the basic idea is that they conquered New Orleans, Klaus is happy playing King there, and Rebekah is doing who knows what. I’m not sure if the crazy hybrid baby exists but there was no Elijah/Hayley (as much as I’m enjoying that in the Originals right now). Either way, the situation is safe enough that Elijah feels secure in being able to go on trips and not worry too much that Klaus is going to do something stupid while he’s gone.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the new chapter! More to come, because as I’ve said - I’m obsessed with this ship now. Let me know what you think! Comments make me so very happy <3


	3. Hesitation Turns to Passion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elena meets with Damon and Elijah when they arrive at the boarding house.

Elena was waiting at the Salvatore Boarding House when they arrived. As Damon stepped down in to the living room, he enjoyed the sight of Elena there, sitting in a chair by the fire with her feet tucked under her. He had texted her before they drove over and she had changed from the pajamas she had been wearing when he had left the house into a cute little blue dress she had picked up last week shopping with Blondie. The elder Salvatore took a moment to soak in the feeling of coming home to Elena, knowing that she loved him and chose him… that they could do this, inviting another into their bed, without worrying that it would damage their relationship. Damon had never felt so secure.

“Hey babe,” Damon greeted.

Elijah hovered at the edge of the room, fingers turning loosely in the pockets of his long jacket. His eyes tracked Elena as she moved towards Damon and pulled him into a slow, sensual kiss. Her suaveness faded as she turned to face Elijah. She tucked her hair behind her hair and smoothed out the front of her dress. “Elijah, hi.”

“Hello Elena.”

“So… Damon explained a little bit of…this?”

“I wouldn’t really say ‘explained.’”

“Oi!” The man in question objected, throwing an arm over Elena’s shoulders. “You followed me here, so you can’t be totally opposed.” He turned his face down towards his girlfriend with a smirk. “No one can resist two hotties like us.”

Elena elbowed Damon sharply—“Ow!”— and held her hand out to Elijah. The Original stepped down slowly and carefully took Elena’s hand. Elena curled her fingers around his larger digits. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to, obviously, but Damon and I have talked about this.” Her cheeks grew pink. “And we’d like to… give you a good night. If you’ll let us.” Damon enjoyed watching the two interact.

“A good night?” Damon drawled. “We’ll give you a fantastic night.”

Elijah’s blank features slowly eased into a smile. “A strong claim.” Did he really want to do this? Elijah wondered. Sex with strangers tended to leave him feeling empty, but Elena and Damon were hardly strangers. And it had been many years since he had laid with anyone. It would be… nice… to wake beside someone for a change.

Elena could see that Elijah was still hesitating. “Would you like a drink?” she offered, squeezing the Original’s hand.

“Hm, a drink would be good,” the oldest vampire replied softly.

“Bourbon?” Damon asked, sauntering over to the drink cabinet.

“I believe you offered me ‘much better wine’ than the Mystic Grill offers,” Elijah lips tugged up to the side in a small smile as he glanced over at Damon.

Elena pulled Elijah over to one of the couches and guided him to sit beside her. The Original leaned back and crossed one leg over the other. Damon poured out the drinks before ambling over to the two and and sat on the other side of Elena.

Over drinks, the three chatted until the sun set beyond the horizon. Elijah continued to consider the couple’s proposition as he sipped away on his wine. When his second glass ran dry, he set it on the coaster next to him.

Elijah leaned down and carefully met Elena’s lips with his own.

Damon felt a heat building in him as he watched them kiss. As Elijah pulled back he glanced down at the younger man. “To address what you said at the bar earlier…” the Original reached out to grip the collar of Damon’s shirt “... No one will be just watching” and pulled him into his own searing kiss.  
  
Elena pushed herself on the tips of her toes and began kissing Elijah’s neck while she reached up and slid his coat off his shoulders, throwing it back on the couch behind her. Damon broke his kiss with Elijah and growled “Bedroom.” Damon sped upstairs, Elena and Elijah but a second behind him.

* * *

Later Elena would remember that first night in flashes…

The way Elijah’s abs tightened as Damon stripped him of his suit…

The feel of Elijah’s fingers as he slid her panties down her legs…

Seeing the veins darken beneath Elijah’s eyes as they go dark…

Her laying back against Damon as Elijah trailed his lips down her body…

Elijah entering her while both men bit into her neck…

Watching Damon tease reactions out of Elijah’s body…

The taste of Elijah’s blood in her mouth while she rode Damon…

Catching her breath while watching Elijah pin Damon to the bed…

Tongues meeting flesh and fingers trailing across bodies…

The bite marks littering their bodies at the end felt so sweet.

* * *

It was only a few hours till dawn when they finally laid down to rest. Elena pulled Elijah’s arms around her as she snuggled into Damon’s chest. That had been even beyond her best fantasies. Elena had never understood why some guys liked to see two girls kiss, but she got it better now. Seeing Elijah working Damon’s body until he was a quivering mess had been amazing. And to watch Elijah let go of his usually tight control… the trust that must have taken warmed her heart. It hadn’t all been rough and fast, part of the night had been spent slow and sweet. Elena enjoyed seeing both sides of Elijah. And Damon certainly enjoyed himself as well. Even though the couple had talked it out beforehand, Elena had still been a little worried Damon would feel threatened by Elijah. But it had been a fantastic night around. And now she got to sleep snuggled into Damon’s chest and be Elijah’s little spoon.

[](https://www.flickr.com/photos/156333014@N03/45096963765/in/dateposted-public/)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Thanksgiving! Here is another chapter! Sorry it’s a little later than I wanted to publish it but I crashed my car last week which has put a damper on my spirit.
> 
> Hope you enjoy both the story and the art! I’ve also added some art to the first chapter for anyone who read that chapter before tonight. The art in this chapter was the first thing I started working on when Elemonijah first came into my mind. In some ways this story came from this picture. I’m also working on finishing the art for chapter 2 and chapter 4. 
> 
> Please let me know what you think! Comments make my day <3


	4. Reaching stability

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after and beyond.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait! Thank you to everyone who has been reading, kudos-ing, and commenting!

Elijah woke up next to a warm body for the first time in many decades. For a second, he wasn’t sure where he was before he recalled the events of the previous day. The Original had not meant to fall asleep. Elena and Damon had invited him for sex, not to invade their bedroom. However despite his intentions, Elena was curled into his chest with Damon’s arm draped over her and his hand gripping Elijah’s side. The elder vampire couldn’t move without waking the couple. While he waited for them to wake on their own, Elijah drifted back off to sleep.

* * *

The light streaming across his face woke Elijah later, and the bed was empty beside him. The man ruthlessly squashed the disappoint that welled up in him before it could settle. He rose quickly from the bed and began dressing. Elijah was slipping his shirt back on when Elena stepped out of the bathroom, steam billowing out around her towel-clad form.

“Elijah, hey,” Elena greeted, smiling. “Damon just went to start breakfast. He’s disturbingly talented at making pancakes.”

The Original quickly buttoned up. “I shall get out of your hair then.”

“Oh,” the smile dropped off the woman’s face. “Do you not like pancakes? Damon is pretty good at omelettes as well. Without him I’d just be eating cereal every morning.”

Elijah paused from grabbing his suit jacket from the floor. “You want me to join you?”

Elena flushed and fiddled with the bottom of her towel. “Not if you don’t want to.”

Elijah stared at the newest vampire as thoughts flew through his mind. It almost sounded like Elena was sad that he was leaving. He wasn’t very well versed in 21st century ‘one night stands’ but the thousand year old vampire didn’t think breakfast was usually part of the deal. The warmth in his chest at the thought of being wanted here was dangerous. Yet as he stared into Elena’s hopeful eyes he couldn’t make himself walk out the house. No matter how much he should. 

* * *

After Elena quickly dressed, Elijah followed her down to the kitchen. He draped his suit jacket across one of the chairs as they passed through the living room. The windows in the kitchen were bright with the morning sun. Damon’s face was lit up as he cheerfully flipped pancakes. Elena’s heart swelled at his broad grin when he saw them enter the room. When she had first met Damon, she never would have imagined how loving he was, what a great heart he had. Now she got to eat breakfast he made every morning and sleep in his arms at night. It was everything to her. And Elena wondered if bringing Elijah into this was worth the risk. But she remembered many conversations over years, the small smiles when they saw each other, the way his body felt against hers, his lips stretched out against Damon’s skin, the way he curled into them when he slept… and couldn’t regret a thing.

Elena steered Elijah to a chair at the table while she pulled dishes from the cabinets. Soon she had gooey pancakes melting in her mouth as Elijah rolled his eyes at the whipped cream fangs. Damon stole quick kisses from both of them as he sauntered to his seat. Elena could see surprise in Elijah’s eyes, though his face remained impassive. She smiled around her fork.

* * *

Elena comes out of sleep slowly. The first thing she felt was the warmth beneath her chest and pressed against her back. Damon and Elijah. Her lovers. Even thinking that filled her with light.  When Damon and Elena had first began discussing inviting Elijah to their bed she had pushed the dormant romantic feelings for the Original down. She loved Damon and wouldn’t give him up for anything. But now, with the two men on either side of her, freely caring for her and each other, she knew it would break her heart if Elijah left now. The past couple of days had been a paradise of kisses, relaxation, interspersed fun excursions, and breathtaking sex. The three of them had been sidestepping having the conversation. But it needed to happen. Elena knew Damon better than anyone, and she could tell her boyfriend didn’t want their lover leaving either. Elena pulled Elijah closer as she snuggled into Damon. She would make sure they sat down and talked about it the morning. But for now she would just enjoy the feeling.

* * *

Damon wakes to the two most beautiful brunettes in the world and grins. When he first met the Original before him, he had hated him. Yet now, Damon’s happy to see the older vampire curled around Damon’s girlfriend. After finally having his love for Elena returned, he thought he would never want anything more than eternity with her. And yet…

Yesterday Damon dragged his two lovers to a club in Richmond, complaining that all their reading was getting boring. Elena feigned resistance, but Damon could see she was just as curious as he was about seeing the elegant Original at a club. The younger man felt a heady sense of power when Elijah conceded to accompanying them, but that feeling was nothing compared to the warmth that spread through him when the Original let himself be needled into wearing one of Damon’s v-necks. Damon was smart enough to realize that the fancy clothes were a kind of armor. As a former rich brat himself, he knew how a perfectly tailored suit could hide many insecurities. The younger man had seen Elijah out of his clothes, but when dressed it had always been some version of his suits. Had anyone asked him, Damon would have denied the depth of feeling in his chest when Elijah entered the room in Damon’s shirt and jeans.

Damon had lost faith in religion over a century and a half ago, but seeing Elena and Elijah move together on the dance floor, graceful and covered in a fine sheet of sweat, Damon reconsidered that God may exist. What else could have moved the ever poised and restrained Original to let loose on the dance floor? Well, it was still more modified ballroom dancing than anything, but it was still more than Damon had ever expected his new lover to display in public. Elena shimmied down the eldest vampire’s body, one arm above her head. Damon watched, fascinated, as Elijah nibbled along the doppelgänger’s forearm, before taking her hand and pulling her into a fancy spin that wouldn’t have been out of place in a movie. Elijah’s eyes rose to meet Damon’s, his hooded gaze seeming to say, “You are too far away.” Damon swallowed and was moving before his brain caught up to his body.

Now, as Damon admired the hard planes of Elijah’s body where it was visible behind Elena’s curves, the Salvatore let himself dream. Damon could never stop himself from dreaming. When he was at war he would dream of Stefan, of the time before his mother had died. When his father still smiled at him. Before Damon knew what a belt biting into flesh felt like. The time when his mother brushed his hair every morning and he could run and play in the grass with his baby brother.  The house as it had been. A place with no rotting corpses. Where there would be no smell of gunpowder. Before the blood had soaked into his hands. For a century after he heard of Katherine’s survival, Damon dreamed of her. He imagined how she would smile when he opened the tomb. How they would run away together, and Damon could forget the dark emotions that clawed at him constantly. 

For years and years these dreams had cut away at Damon, wonderful ideas that would never come to pass. None of his dreams had ever come to pass. When he and Elena had settled down and he began to trust that it would last, he thought his time dreaming impossible dreams was over.

But now all he could think of was a future where the man in their bed never left. Where he would be there to discuss literature with Elena and make tea in the kitchen while Damon cooked. A future where Elijah would drop his guard completely. Where Elena and Damon could get the restrained original to smile completely freely. A future together, all three of them.

* * *

Elijah trailed his fingers down Damon’s side as he wondered why he was still here. Elena snored softly in between them. At first Elijah had assumed the two wanted to continue their “sex marathon” as Damon had called it, but didn’t think that normally included leisurely excursions into town and reading with their heads or feet in each other’s laps. He should leave. He really should have left before this began. Even in two days, the Original was getting used to waking beside the younger vampires. The loneliness that has gripped him for a thousand years is lessened, and Elijah knows that it will only come back worse when whatever this is ends. Niklaus and Rebecca may enjoy their short dalliances, but Elijah was never one for brief flings. He could never keep his heart from getting invested and hated the loss of control when things inevitably ended.

_ I’m weak _ , he thought as he let his eyes fall closed again, his eyelashes lightly brushing the back of Elena’s neck. The Original had felt more happiness and peace in the last two days than he had experienced in centuries. There was none of the fighting that the Original family couldn’t seem to avoid. Damon teased and needled, but the warmth was always clear in his eyes. Elena smiled and laughed so freely, and Elijah felt a little less a monster every time it was directed towards him. The Original could see the same feeling reflected in Damon’s face when their lover grinned up at the younger man. 

It won’t last. Elijah knows this. Happiness never does. He takes a breath and focuses on memorizing details. The unique smell of the three of them. The feeling of Elena’s smaller body tucked inside his own. The slight roughness of an old scar on Damon’s hip where Elijah’s hand rests. The eldest ‘living’ being would keep this memories dear, safeguard them in a place in his mind where the monster in him couldn’t defile them.

Damon shifted closer in his sleep, and Elijah thought again of the vulnerability the two lovers showed him. The couple had invited him in, not just to their bed but to their lives—to their thoughts and dreams. In response the Original had found himself saying things before he realized he had opened his mouth, telling them things he hadn’t uttered to another soul. He’s the oldest creature in existence. How could he have fallen so far in just two days? 

But it began long before two days ago, the back of Elijah’s mind whispered. It’s been nearly ten years since he met them and he has been in and out of Mystic Falls countless times since then. The Original thought he has crushed any feelings for the two as soon as they surfaced. But those feelings had only been suppressed, not destroyed. 

Elena’s hair was silky and soft between his fingers. Damon’s eyelashes fluttered as he dreamed. Elijah took a careful measured breath. Happiness never lasts. But maybe, just maybe…

* * *

They do end up talking about it, despite Damon’s blatant attempts to avoid it and Elijah’s more subtle attempts to escape. Elena is the brave one, who starts the conversation and frankly states that she wants Elijah to stay. Elijah freezes, and Elena reaches slowly forward, giving him time to pull away before she reaches him. But he doesn’t pull back, and Elena takes his cool fingers in hers.

“Stay,” she says softly.

Elijah closes his eyes, his face remaining impassive. But Elena can feel the fine tremor in his fingertips and knows he’s struggling to maintain that straight face. Damon, seeing that Elijah didn’t give an immediate rejection, steps up behind Elena and lays his hand on top of theirs. 

“I’ve been to New Orleans. It sucks. We’re much more fun. Stay here instead.” Damon grins cockily, but it cracks when Elijah remains silent. “This offer comes with free pancakes for eternity,” the younger man adds, trying to maintain his levity despite the sinking feeling in his heart.

Elijah takes a steadying breath. Can he really have this? He opens his eyes and the image in front of him remains. He can feel their hands against his. Smell their anxiety. This is real, he realizes. A smile slowly pulls at his lips as he turns his hand to curl around theirs.

“Ah. Free pancakes. How could I resist.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Figuring out how I wanted to end this was hard, but it is probably not the end of this story. I still want to write how the others in the Mystic Falls game react. 
> 
> Comments are always apreciated, including constrictive criticism. 
> 
> I enjoyed trying to reach into the characters heads in this one. Elijah the most because if you couldn’t guess already...he’s my fave <3 Damon is a close second. I have a bit harder time writing Elena.
> 
> Let me know what you think! And if you want to read more Elemonijah :3, please subscribe to series “The Elemonijah Collection”! I’ll be posting some more to there soon!

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not sure when this ship popped into my head, but it hasn't left since. If anyone has any ideas on a ship name that'd be great. The best I can think of is Elemonijah but it still sounds kinda weird...
> 
> Please help me make this ship a thing xD
> 
> Anyways I hope you enjoyed! There will be more to come shortly.


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